According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), a recent evaluation of the “Health in Germany” 2024 panel reveals that approximately one in ten adults in Germany sustained an acute injury within the last year requiring medical treatment-a figure extrapolated to about 7 million people.
The study found that over the past twelve months, 9.5% of women and 10.5% of men reported at least one such treatable injury. Vulnerable groups included young men aged 18 to 29, who displayed the highest prevalence rate at 15.1%. For women, the data indicated a “U-shaped” age pattern, meaning not only were young women affected, but so were women aged 80 and over.
In terms of location, the home environment was the most common place for injuries, accounting for 36% of all reported incidents, including immediate surroundings like gardens and garages. Traffic and recreational activities each accounted for approximately a quarter of the injuries, while accidents occurring at work or educational institutions represented 16%. Furthermore, gender differences were noted by location: women were significantly more likely to have injuries at home, while men were more likely to suffer workplace injuries.
Falls were identified as the most frequent mechanism of injury, responsible for 30.4% of all treated accidents. The link between falls and age was evident, as for individuals aged 80 and above, roughly half of the last reported injuries were attributable to falling.
Common injury types included sprains, strains, ligament tears, open wounds, superficial trauma, and crushing injuries. Bone fractures were diagnosed in 22% of cases. Following the most recent accident, nearly every fifth injured person required hospitalization; the average length of stay documented by the RKI was 9.8 nights.